A New Promise
by lildaydreamer
Summary: My take on how Tori found out the Thunder Rangers were going away after Thunder Strangers. First time writing more than drabble! Let me know what you think.


First time writing more than drabble. I just couldn't keep the ides of this missing scene out of my head. Let me know what you guys think!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own anything Power Rangers.

Tori sat on the cliff overlooking beach, taking in the sea breeze and cloudless blue sky. After leaving the Cave of Souls yesterday, she found herself incredibly confused about her feelings toward a certain Navy Thunder Ranger. Blake had used her so easily, swooping in on his dirt bike and into her thoughts, and she was no better for falling for all his lies. Anger, shame, betrayal, embarrassment – she could barely pinpoint all the feelings swirling around her. Deep down inside though, she knew that a part of her still believed in Blake and wanted something…. more with him. He was the first to as not another one of the guys but as a girl. It showed in the way he acted around her, when he talked with her at the track, and even down to the way he said her name.

"Tori." She could imagine it now, the way his voice softened with that gentle underlying tone she'd never heard before.

"Tori. Tori. Is anyone in there?"

She quickly looked up and realized Blake was standing right in front of her and probably had been calling her for a while now.

"Oh, hi there." She said quietly, hoping to calm or at least hide the panic and confusion inside.

"Are you okay? I was calling your name for a while there." He said apprehensively. He wasn't sure how the Blue Ranger would react to him after all that happened but he hoped she would be willing to hear him out before pushing him away.

"I'm fine. Just been … thinking about the past couple of days you know?" Tori replied, keeping her eyes focused on the grass she was currently sitting on.

"I know what you mean. Hunter and I are still trying to process all that's happened and how we could have been so wrong the past couple of months."

Blake paused, waiting for a response … any response to ground him on where he stood with the kind Wind Ranger.

"Anyways, I came to find you because I owe you an apology. An apology for deceiving you, everyone, and all the damage we've caused. I never meant to trick you into showing me where ninja ops was located, it just… happened"

Tori looked up at that statement. "Are you serious?" Tori spit out. "It just happened? Approaching us like that and trying to become our friends doesn't 'just happen'. We let you in, told you about ourselves, and considered you a friend. All those things we told you were true – unlike everything you've said and done. I trusted you Blake, we all did." Tori had to turn away, refusing to let him see the tears beginning in her eyes.

Blake fell silent. He didn't know what to say to make it right. "I know. And I know I've done nothing to deserve your trust. But…I just wanted to let you know not all of it was a lie. I really didn't plan on saving you from that frog. I saw what was happening and I leapt in without thinking. I didn't plan on getting hurt and knocking out but when you took me to Ninja Ops, I couldn't not make use of that information. "

Tori knew he was trying to apologize but his words only hurt her more. "So you didn't even have to try to trick me, I was stupid enough to just give you the info you needed."

"No Tori, none of it was your fault. You're an … amazing person. I wanted to save you, and I wanted to be around you, truly. Not all of it was lie, you have to believe me."

Tori stayed quiet, not sure what to say and not sure what was the truth anymore. She took in a deep breath, letting the fresh ocean breeze ground her.

"Look, I know I'm probably the last person you want to talk to right now and I don't ever expect you to forgive me but I wanted to at least try to explain everything and to say goodbye in person." Blake sighed.

"Goodbye?" Tori looked up.

"Hunter and I need to think things through. We've been so focused on getting revenge the past year and we just need to get away from everything."

"When will you guys come back?" Tori whispered, suddenly very interested in her hands, the wildflowers growing around her, anything but him.

Blake stared off into the ocean, "I don't know what's going to happen. Lothor will pay for what he's done. We're just not sure what we need to do now."

She stayed quiet, unsure of what to say and guilty at how she was reacting to his words. She told herself that she was happy to see him go but she also didn't want the Thunder Ranger to disappear. Even after everything that had happened, she could barely believe she still wanted to see him again.

Blake took in her silence and quietly sighed. "Well, I'll leave you to your thoughts now."

"Wait" Tori interrupted. Looking up suddenly, she briefly making eye contact with him before quickly lowering gaze back to her hands. She stuttered "I… I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive you but if you feel so guilty about everything – promise me you'll come back? When you're ready I mean, because we could use your help in fighting Lothor and his goons. And I don't know how it would but we can see what happens then."

He smiled, that charming smile with a small dash of hope, "I will. I will see you again Tori. Tell the others goodbye and be careful okay?"

Tori gave a small smile and said "See you Blake."

"See you Tori."

And then he left.

Tori watched his back as he left and when he turned back to catch one last glimpse of her, she quickly became very interested in the ocean. Don't think about him, don't think about him, she chanted internally. He was leaving, and who knows when… no IF he even comes back. She watched the waves roll in and decided that if he kept his promise, if he came back, _maybe_ she would give him another chance. Until then, she had bigger worries, namely keeping the world safe and Blue Bay Harbor in once piece.


End file.
